#31
Biscuits and Breezers
Welcome back to another blog of Biscuits and Breezers! In this blog we will be talking about Taylor Hall's new contract with the Oilers and a special segment about one of the best hockey consulting companies that has been associated with this blog. But for now let us move on to the extension. The Edmonton Oilers have just inked one of their star players to a 7 year $42 million contract. Yes, Taylor Hall will be an Oiler for another seven years. Being the Oilers' first pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, he is among the Oilers' top line in remodeling their team alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. Then most recently, key player Nail Yakupov. Slowly building their team back up, the Oilers could actually be a threat in future NHL playoffs and in the regular seasons. Watch out they could go from #29 to #1. Back to Taylor. He recently signed a contract that will keep him in Edmonton for much longer. In his mind, this is a very good thing. Seeing the team being reborn will definitely motivate him to play like its his last game and hopefully result in an even longer contract with the organization if the option arises. This deal will make him the highest paid player on the team with a salary cap at $6 million. That is higher than veteran Shawn Horcoff who will get $6 million next season, but averages lower at $5.5 million. Good luck Taylor, I hope the 7 years does you well!
The next I want to do is get some recognition to a major factor in this blogs success. Scandinavian Hockey Consulting is a company based out Leksand, Sweden and Chicago, Illinois. They help young European players make the transition from Europe to the USA. The staff has all played Junior A and NCAA hockey to provide the players with personal and proper advice before, during, and after the season. Now if you go onto their website www.scandhock.com they have many stories and recent posts about players moving from Europe to make that big transition. Being in both the USA and in Sweden, they can assure the players arrive comfortably and help them with the change before and after they arrive. One of the many reasons why they are associated with this blog is because most of the European players I review come from them. Scand Hock is a very reliable source that definitely makes an impact in the junior and college levels of hockey. If you are reading this in Sweden and are considering coming and playing in America, definitely go through them, it will be the easiest and most enjoyable way to go. As I said before, this company is amazing and it would be an honor if I could eventually be majorly associated with them! Let's hope so! Even if you are having concerns or second thoughts about going with them...DON'T!! They are there for you 100% of the time and will make the process the easiest it can be! As owner of SHC Daniel Ljung said on the topic of why you as a player should choose SHC in the process of coming over to the USA, he replied,"We have an excellent track record of helping players from Europe to all levels of hockey in the U.S. We care about each individual and will support them and their families 100%. Many times advisors give bad advice due to lack of personal knowledge and experience. We feel we are in a position to help players the proper ways and our players will testify to that." As I said once and now I am going to say again, they are a very good company to work with and they take a very personal approach to helping you or players come over to the USA. This is to all the hockey teams receiving European players this season. You are very very lucky because they are amazing people who will be your friends for life. As Daniel Ljung said, "Usually most European players are really good locker room guys and great teammates as well." Thank you Scandinavian Hockey Consulting for all that you have done for me! I hope to work with you more in the future! Make sure to check them out at www.scandhock.com today!
Since I have been traveling in Minnesota "State of Hockey" for awhile, the "Players of Today" will be all Minnesota. For the European player we have Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu. For the NHL player we have Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen. Then for the junior player, I would like to tribute it to a very special Minnesota player. Jack Jablonski.
Starting off with the European player. Mikko is 6ft. 2in, 200lbs, and is from Turku, Finland. He is the captain for the Minnesota Wild and was drafted 1st round 6th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by Minnesota. For his AHL team, Mikko played for the Houston Aeros and he has played for many junior teams in Finland. He even played for his native country in the Olympics twice. In the 2011-2012 NHL season, he had 12 goals in 55 games played, 32 assists, 44 TPs, a +/- of 10, 28 PIMs, 2 power play goals, 1 shorthanded goal, 2 game winning goals, 129 shots, and a S% of 9.3. Mikko is the type of player who will help others before he helps himself. Hence why he wears the "C". He is definitely going to benefit from native Minnesotan Zach Parise as the assistant captain. Mikko is a very good player with great hands, fast skates, and quick eyes. Good luck Mikko in the 2012 NHL season and in your future NHL seasons!
Next we have the NHL player. Matt Niskanen is 6ft. 0in, 209lbs, and is from Virginia, Minnesota. He is a defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins and he was drafted 1st round 28th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by Dallas. Matt played for the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs college hockey team, Virginia Blue Devils High school hockey team, the Dallas Stars, and the Iowa Stars in the AHL. In the 2011-2012 season, he had 4 goals in 75 games played, 17 assists, 21 TPs, a +/- of 9, 47 PIMs, 3 power play goals, 0 short handed goals, 0 game winning goals, 118 shots, and a S% of 3.4. Even though he doesn't have that many goals, that means he is keeping that blue line neat and tidy. He is a very good defenseman who tries his absolute hardest of keeping everything secure. I can't wait to see him play for the 2012-2013 season! Good luck Matt with the Penguins and your future NHL career!
The next player we will talk about is a very special one indeed. Jack Jablonski is a hockey player who got paralyzed in high school hockey game by getting checked twice from behind, one immediately after the other, into the boards and had his spinal cord severed. He laid on the ice motionless before he was rushed to the hospital and the doctors concluded he would never walk again. Well that Benilde-St. Margaret's sophomore is proving them wrong. Day by day, week by week, he growing stronger than before and slowly but surely making progress by lifting his fingers, rolling over, crawling, or even moving his elbow. Jabs, I think, will definitely prove them wrong and walk again, if he has gone this far he will keep pushing it until he can. To back him, Jack has loads of NHL players and team mates. During this summer, he had a huge fundraiser at the Xcel Energy Center where tons of local players, NHL players, and many more came out to support this amazing kid. For the ones of you who didn't know I am a major supporter of Jabs and you should be too if you aren't already. He needs all the support he can get. All I can say is how proud and amazed I am by him, and he is such an influence on my life. Hopefully one day I will get to meet him in person. That would be amazing! Whether it is spiritual support or wearing the helmet sticker, do it. He is an amazing kid who will definitely go far. Way to go Jabs keep going! We are all here for you! #TeamJabs #BEL13VE Go support him now! You will be a major duster if you don't! If you are reading this Jack, all I want to say is thank for all your influence and I definitely look up to you and it would be an honor and a delight to meet you! Keep going and prove all those critics wrong! You have it in you! Good luck Jack with your progress and to future feats of strength!
Thanks for reading another blog of Biscuits and Breezers! Every blog will be filled with updated hockey news, player reviews, and much more! Until next time remember, don't get your breezers in a bunch because hockey is always around the corner. Remember it's always a great day for hockey and it's a lifestyle not just a sport!
Since I have been traveling in Minnesota "State of Hockey" for awhile, the "Players of Today" will be all Minnesota. For the European player we have Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu. For the NHL player we have Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen. Then for the junior player, I would like to tribute it to a very special Minnesota player. Jack Jablonski.
Starting off with the European player. Mikko is 6ft. 2in, 200lbs, and is from Turku, Finland. He is the captain for the Minnesota Wild and was drafted 1st round 6th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by Minnesota. For his AHL team, Mikko played for the Houston Aeros and he has played for many junior teams in Finland. He even played for his native country in the Olympics twice. In the 2011-2012 NHL season, he had 12 goals in 55 games played, 32 assists, 44 TPs, a +/- of 10, 28 PIMs, 2 power play goals, 1 shorthanded goal, 2 game winning goals, 129 shots, and a S% of 9.3. Mikko is the type of player who will help others before he helps himself. Hence why he wears the "C". He is definitely going to benefit from native Minnesotan Zach Parise as the assistant captain. Mikko is a very good player with great hands, fast skates, and quick eyes. Good luck Mikko in the 2012 NHL season and in your future NHL seasons!
Next we have the NHL player. Matt Niskanen is 6ft. 0in, 209lbs, and is from Virginia, Minnesota. He is a defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins and he was drafted 1st round 28th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by Dallas. Matt played for the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs college hockey team, Virginia Blue Devils High school hockey team, the Dallas Stars, and the Iowa Stars in the AHL. In the 2011-2012 season, he had 4 goals in 75 games played, 17 assists, 21 TPs, a +/- of 9, 47 PIMs, 3 power play goals, 0 short handed goals, 0 game winning goals, 118 shots, and a S% of 3.4. Even though he doesn't have that many goals, that means he is keeping that blue line neat and tidy. He is a very good defenseman who tries his absolute hardest of keeping everything secure. I can't wait to see him play for the 2012-2013 season! Good luck Matt with the Penguins and your future NHL career!
The next player we will talk about is a very special one indeed. Jack Jablonski is a hockey player who got paralyzed in high school hockey game by getting checked twice from behind, one immediately after the other, into the boards and had his spinal cord severed. He laid on the ice motionless before he was rushed to the hospital and the doctors concluded he would never walk again. Well that Benilde-St. Margaret's sophomore is proving them wrong. Day by day, week by week, he growing stronger than before and slowly but surely making progress by lifting his fingers, rolling over, crawling, or even moving his elbow. Jabs, I think, will definitely prove them wrong and walk again, if he has gone this far he will keep pushing it until he can. To back him, Jack has loads of NHL players and team mates. During this summer, he had a huge fundraiser at the Xcel Energy Center where tons of local players, NHL players, and many more came out to support this amazing kid. For the ones of you who didn't know I am a major supporter of Jabs and you should be too if you aren't already. He needs all the support he can get. All I can say is how proud and amazed I am by him, and he is such an influence on my life. Hopefully one day I will get to meet him in person. That would be amazing! Whether it is spiritual support or wearing the helmet sticker, do it. He is an amazing kid who will definitely go far. Way to go Jabs keep going! We are all here for you! #TeamJabs #BEL13VE Go support him now! You will be a major duster if you don't! If you are reading this Jack, all I want to say is thank for all your influence and I definitely look up to you and it would be an honor and a delight to meet you! Keep going and prove all those critics wrong! You have it in you! Good luck Jack with your progress and to future feats of strength!
Thanks for reading another blog of Biscuits and Breezers! Every blog will be filled with updated hockey news, player reviews, and much more! Until next time remember, don't get your breezers in a bunch because hockey is always around the corner. Remember it's always a great day for hockey and it's a lifestyle not just a sport!
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